The present invention generally relates to copying apparatuses and more particularly, to a copying apparatus equipped with an improved control device, and arranged to function in a multi-copy mode in which a copying operation is repeated to produce a plurality of copies, with copy paper sheets automatically fed one at a time.
Generally, in conventional copying apparatuses having various functions of copying through a wide selection of the numbers of copies to be made, sizes of copy paper sheets, etc., it has been so arranged that an operator selects each function prior to starting of copying and then turns ON a print key for starting copying.
Although the known copying apparatuses of the above described type have a function of interrupt copying so as to interrupt the copying operation in the multi-copy mode so that a different copying operation may be performed, there has been such a disadvantage that since the copying apparatuses are incapable of receiving an interrupt signal until one cycle of the copying operation is completed once the copying operation has been started, at least one cycle of the copying operation is undesirably carried out.
Accordingly, in the conventional copying apparatuses, there has been such an inconvenience that undesirable waiting time is required to effect the interrupt copying since the copying operation is performed in an initially selected mode even if an interrupt button for effecting the interrupt copying is turned ON immediately after copying based on initially selected functions is started.
Furthermore, the known copying apparatuses have such a disadvantage that, since the interrupt copying is not effected until at least one cycle of the copying operation is completed once the copying operation has been started, the operator has to sort at least one copy paper sheet copied in the multi-copy mode from copy paper sheets copied in the interrupt copying mode, which is extremely troublesome.
Moreover, the conventional copying apparatuses are also incapable of receiving a stop signal for stopping the copying operation in the multi-copy mode until one cycle of the copying operation is completed once the copying operation has been started, resulting in unnecessary copying.
Furthermore, in the conventional copying apparatus provided with a plug-in counter for recording the number of copying operations, there has been such a disadvantage that, when the plug-in counter is withdrawn from the copying apparatus housing immediately after the copying operation is started, the copying operation is carried out, but the counter does not perform the counting operation, making it impossible to accurately count the number of copying operations performed.